Chapter Text
It all started with a lot of shouldn't haves and a selca.
Mina shouldn't have let her mother's pestering about her non existent love-life get to her. She shouldn't have remembered how she tried to set up with a different woman every time she went to a family gathering. She shouldn't have lied to her own mother about seeing someone for a few months. But the one thing that she shouldn't have done at all was to ignore Nayeon after the concert.
It wasn't intentional. It wasn't her fault the bunny couldn't stay still in one place, so by the time she'd taken selfie with others and found her again the older girl had changed out of her outfit for the day.
The fact that she didn't take a selfie with Nayeon shouldn't have been noticed by Onces. They shouldn't have been all over social media whining for a Minayeon selca. It shouldn't have irked Nayeon so much she decided to barge into her dorm unannounced to demand an explanation why that she was the only member she didn't take a selfie with.
The timing shouldn't have been this bad. Her mother shouldn't have chosen that exact moment to ask who she was seeing. Mina shouldn't have been startled by the unexpected guest and asked, "Nayeon-chan?" to the pouting girl.
Her mother shouldn't have assumed she was seeing Nayeon. She shouldn't have squealed happily and said, "Always knew there was something between the two of you. I'll see you both at the party then." She shouldn't have disconnected the call right after that.
Mina shouldn't have stood there imitating a fish instead of calling her back immediately and clarifying the miscommunication. But it had all happened and now she was sat in the chaotic Namosa dorm trying to find a solution to this unexpected problem with the other members.
"It could have been worse." Sana tried to inject some enthusiasm into the moody girl who was stubbornly refusing to meet Nayeon's apologetic eyes on her. "You could have flown there by yourself and she'd have set you up with another woman."
Mina shuddered to think about it. The last woman her mother pitched as Miss Right talked about herself all night and ended up groping her arse.
Jeongyeon stretched her legs out on the couch and laid her head on Jihyo's shoulder, "Besides it's just for three days. You can tell her you broke up after you return."
Nayeon lifted a hand in question, "Excuse me? Don't I get a say in this?" Mina liked the older girl, she really did but there were times she wanted to shove things down her throat so she would stop talking. Like now.
Momo chuckled, "Nayeon-chan you're partly responsible for this situation. So no you don't."
Nayeon's shoulder slumped defeatedly.
"Let's get the training started then. Shall we?" Chaeyoung proposed to the quiet pair, throwing her notepad to the side.
Step 1 : Body language
"The key is to act like you're in love." Chaeyoung, the love guru declared, "Little touches, affectionate hugs, side glances, flirty smiles. You see where I'm going?"
Both of them stared at her blankly.
A while later Momo who was at her wit's ends plopped down on one of the chairs carelessly strewn across in their dorm and lamented, "Your mother is going to call your bluff if you both acted like you'd burn if you so much as stood next to each other."
Dahyun nodded her head in agreement. They'd asked them to hug, but they'd hovered around each other instead, with at-least an inch of gap produced miraculously between their bodies. She'd never even known two people could hug like that.
"There's just a week left for the party." Tzuyu flickered her eyes from Mina to Nayeon who were now standing apart from each other with some space for an invisible tenth member, "There's so much work to be done."
Step 2 : Look like you're in love
"Now that the easy part is done. Let's get on with the tough part." Jihyo resumed, sneaking a look at the paper in Chaeyoung's hand.
Mina dreaded to ask what the hard part could be as she pulled away from Nayeon's arms, out of a proper hug they had been forced into by the other members. This was already difficult enough.
"Kissing."
The colour drained from Nayeon's face. Mina flushed brightly.
"I'm not kissing in front of you perverts." Nayeon attempted to stomp out of the room, "Go fap to pornhub or something."
Sana tugged her back into the room by her collar, "Nice try Nayeon-chan." She admitted, "But you're not getting out of this."
Tzuyu thrusted Nayeon towards Mina and rolled her eyes when they still managed to stop at a respectable distance from each other. "Now kiss."
"Close your eyes." Nayeon glowered at the members who were eagerly waiting to see how the scene was going to unfold.
"We won't." Jihyo chortled, "Neither will the guests at the party."
"Fine." She huffed and leaned down to the younger girl who tensed where she stood and murmured, "On the count of three we run."
A smack sounded across the room a second later. "Oww Chaeyoungah. You're hurting my head."
Chaeyoung sighed, "So are you." She replied, but pecked the spot she hit when the older girl continued to pout. "It's not like you haven't kissed her before."
"That was once." Nayeon immediately defended herself, turning her face away from Mina to stare at Chaeyoung. "As a joke!!"
"Why don't we go to Step 3 and revisit Step 2 later?" Dahyun suggested. She figured there was no point forcing two stubborn people like themselves into something they didn't want. Nayeon would find a way to get out of this entire fake relationship and Mina would willingly let her.
Step 3: Flirting
"Why don't you start off by complimenting each other?" Chaeyoung advised, seeing they were both struggling to get the ball rolling. "Mina your turn first."
Mina took a deep breath as if she was drawing every ounce of confidence she had left and met dark eyes that looked as unsure and hesitant as she felt.
"You look," She paused, dipping her eyes from Nayeon's face down to her feet covered in converse shoes, "Uhmm good?" She concluded, although good wasn't the first word that came to her mind.
Dressed in an oversized white Naruto T-shirt, black shorts, her short hair bouncing around her face as she shuffled restlessly on her feet, Nayeon looked like a child.
Her full lips quirked up the tiniest bit at the half compliment.
An adorable child. Mina thought.
A toothy grin flashed across her face.
An adorable child you'd want to pick up and put in your pocket. She corrected herself.
"Thank you." The twinkle in the dark eyes became more prominent.
An adorable child you'd want to pick up, put in your pocket and carry home. Mina decided.
"I know." She winked with both eyes and her smile widened.
An adorable child you'd want to pick up, put in your pocket, carry home and teach some basic manners. Mina made up her mind.
"You know you're better off with some grabby hands your mother is going to set you up with." Jihyo gave up, throwing her hands up in the air in surrender.
Nayeon's mouth dropped open.
"To be honest, Nayeon-chan has grabby hands too." Sana added insult to the injury, "She's always touching Dahyun's butt."
"I won't do that to Mina." Nayeon exclaimed resting her hands on her hip, "Besides it's not my fault Dahyun has an irresistible butt."
Mina looked borderline offended, "Are you saying mine is resistible?"
Nayeon gaped at the younger girl. "That's not what I meant."
"That's totally what you meant." Jeongyeon shouted from across the room, ignoring the pointed glare she received in return.
Nayeon cocked her head towards Mina, "Don't listen to them." She scratched the back of her neck nervously, "You have a nice butt."
"Nice is not a very convincing adjective Nayeon-chan." Mina crossed her arms over her chest.
"A lovely butt?" Nayeon tried again because she'd never want to hurt the younger girl, not even unintentionally.
Mina's brow lifted.
"A lovely butt I'd totally grab?"
Mina relented a little.
Chaeyoung didn't bother to interrupt their roundabout, regressed, I-pay-my-therapist-a-lot-of-money-for-being-unable-to-express-my-emotions-properly flirting they were doing. At least they were flirting.
Step 4 : Saranghae
"It's just three words. Say it." Jeongyeon dangled Nayeon's favorite bag of jelly above the bin, threatening to drop it if she didn't. They'd been trying unsuccessfully for ten minutes to get Nayeon to say it that they've finally resorted to blackmail.
Another loud smack was heard across the room. This time it was Jihyo. "If you keep saying I love you to her feet, her family is going to think you have a fetish."
Nayeon rubbed her abused arm and gave it a try again. "I love you." She met Mina's eyes and said mechanically.
Tzuyu snorted, "Mina stop blushing. They're never going to believe you've been seeing each other for a few months."
"And Nayeon-chan please put some emotion into your I love you. You're not ordering takeout." Momo pleaded. She'd seen Nayeon put more passion into that than the I love you she'd just thrown.
Nayeon blew out her cheeks. She didn't like being less than perfect at anything and having the members constantly criticizing her was taking its toll on her. She took a deep breath, channeled her inner actress and looked into the warm brown eyes before hers. "I love you." She rolled it out of her tongue, her eyes softening around the edges, tone low and affectionate.
"Oh my god what's with the blushing?" Dahyun asked impatiently.
Nayeon gave Mina a chuffed grin, glad that she wasn't the one who fucked it up, "Yay Minayah!! What's with the blushing?"
Dahyun glared at Nayeon, "I was talking to you Nayeonnie."
That shut Nayeon up.
"Let's just skip to Step 5. Shall we?"Chaeyoung asked with an amused shake of her head.
Step 5 : Eye contact
"The trick is to make everyone believe that you're in love. Your love language could be anything , through your eyes, through your-"
Nayeon lifted a hand and cut Sana off. "I've got this." She insisted with a bout of confidence that Mina was certainly not feeling.
"Okay now just look into each other's eyes." Sana sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
Nayeon thought this was cakewalk. Sana knew this was going to end in a disaster.
Four minutes later the girls in the room were playing eye ping pong as their gaze travelled back and forth between Nayeon and Mina.
If Nayeon looked at Mina, she'd casually avert her eyes and if Mina dared to look at Nayeon she'd find something interesting on the wall to stare at.
Five minutes later their eyes accidentally met, and they both immediately looked away awkwardly.
"Should we tell them they're trying for girlfriends, not exes?" Momo whispered to Sana.
"Let them be." Dahyun silenced them both, "This is oddly fascinating. It's like watching a train wreck happen."
A week later, after some more training in between their schedules, Nayeon and Mina were being smothered in a hug from all the members.
"Please take care of her." Jihyo begged as she helped the last of their bags into the waiting taxi.
Nayeon nodded. She was the oldest unnie after all. It was her job to take care of the younger ones, make them feel safe, protected and it really touched her to know that Jihyo believed in her-
"Put her on a leash if you have to." Wait, Nayeon scrunched her nose in confusion, why was Jihyo pointing at her? "But don't let her out of your eyesight."
Mina gave Jihyo's hand a reassuring squeeze, "Don't worry. I'll bring Nayeon-chan back in one piece."
Nayeon stared at the pair of them in disbelief. She had enough of people treating her like she was three. So she told Mina the same and gave her the cold shoulder until they got onto the plane.
Mina wasn't bothered, Nayeon wasn't the kind to hold on to a grudge for too long, besides it wasn't like she was big on making conversations. It was really a win win situation for both of them.
When Nayeon began fumbling through her backpack, and jutted her lower lip out, whining to Mina that she couldn't find her bag of jelly, forgetting that she was supposed to be mad at her, the younger girl didn't resist the urge to quip, "Someone said they weren't three."
Five minutes later Mina decided she had tortured Nayeon long enough and pulled out a bag of jelly she had packed for the older girl as an emergency stash. She pretended that the grin she saw splitting the older girl's face as she eyed the bag didn't warm her heart at all. Not even in the slightest.
Thirty minutes later she wondered how one could go from finding someone endearing to insufferable. She raised her voice slightly making the older girl flinch, "Nayeon-chan, I know you're bored but I honestly have no idea why clown fish are called that when they don't work in a circus."
Nayeon slumped down on her seat, crossing her arms across her chest and began to inspect her fingernails. Mina didn't care, if Nayeon wanted to be childish, then she would let her be. She wasn't her mother.
When she received a whole ten minutes of silence which was unusual for the talkative girl, Mina let out a soft breath, put her phone down and turned to her side, "Why do you think King cobras are called that when they don't have a crown?"
The dazzling smile she got in return was enough for her to endure another hour of endless questions.
Fortunately for her, Nayeon was too busy gawking at passing cars and buildings to badger her with more questions after they got into a taxi at the airport.
Nayeon was looking out the window, bouncing up and down whenever she spotted something familiar, reminding Mina of an excited little puppy. It made her forget for a while how her heart was beating in her throat.
When the taxi arrived at her doorstep, all the anxiety came rushing back. It would be odd if she didn't feel anxious in a situation like this.
"Are you ready?" Nayeon asked by her side, extending her hand towards her.
Mina nodded her head in answer and accepted the offered hand.
Thanks to their vigorous training which Chaeyoung had named 'Seven day crash course for those who want to fake a relationship - Designed especially for dummies and Minayeon' they got the basics like handholding down to a T and were able to do it without flinching.
"Oh my favorite girl is here. Come give Mama a hug." Despite the nerves, Mina's face lighted up in a soft smile when she saw her mother rushing towards them with her arms wide open.
She pretended to be annoyed when her mother sidestepped her and wrapped Nayeon in a big hug.
Mina huffed when she released Nayeon after a while, turned to her and said, "Oh my second favorite girl is here as well." but gladly accepted the hug that was given.
"Where's dad?" Mina scanned the empty living room as she walked into her childhood home, "Is he working today?" Her lips turned down in a pout.
Her mother shook her head, walking around the couch to sit next to Nayeon. "He's doing last minute grocery shopping." She clapped her hands excitedly, "We sat all night making a list of Nayeon-tan's favorite food."
"You shouldn't have." Nayeon leaned against the back of the couch and propped her chin on her hand. "I hate to be a trouble."
Her mother dismissed her with a wave of her hand and a fond smile. "We wanted to make a good impression on her girlfriend." She gestured to Mina with her thumb.
"With a face like that, you wouldn't have try hard at making a good impression." Nayeon winked, and Mina watched with awe as a blush rapidly rose on her mother's cheeks.
She wondered if Nayeon remembered that they'd have to fake a breakup after they get back. At this rate, her mother was going to give her blessings for their marriage. Knowing her, she might even book the venue and have the invitations printed.
"You're a sweet talker." She heard her mother gush, patting Nayeon's cheek affectionately. "When you have babies I hope they're like you."
Mina buried her face in her hands. Her mother had skipped the wedding and gone straight to babies, and it was all Nayeon's fault.
As soon as she left them alone to get some drinks, Mina nudged the older girl and mumbled under her breath, "Stop flirting with my mum."
She got a cheeky smile in return. "I was just being honest."
Mina stared at her like her bullshit meter was ticking, "Right!" She scoffed.
"Hey!" Nayeon sat straight, taking offense at the implication she was a liar, "You're like the prettiest girl on earth. Of course your mother is going to be pretty too." She pointed out.
Mina's head dipped with a faint blush to her cheeks. Chaeyoung's training hadn't been in total vain after all, because Nayeon seemed to have aced Step 3.
"Why don't you both freshen up and get some rest?" Her mother's voice from the entrance to the living room drew her attention. "I'll wake you up when it's time for lunch."
Mina jumped to her feet, welcoming the respite. Pretending your friend was your girlfriend was exhausting. To be constantly around the said friend was completely nerve wracking.
"Perfect." She replied.
Perfect way to be driven to a nervous mess. When her mother said they could retire to their room she thought she meant in plural. She didn't imagine they'd be shown into the same room, her childhood room. Her childhood room that had one bed. A single bed at that.
"I can take the floor." Nayeon offered, as if sensing her discomfort.
Mina tilted her head to the side to look at the older girl, "You're a guest. You should take the bed."
Nayeon shrugged her shoulder as she walked further into the room, scanning the posters and images on the wall. "It's fine. You need your beauty sleep."
"And you won't?" Mina implored.
"I'd be beautiful no matter what." Nayeon grinned.
That thing about Nayeon acing Step 3? Mina took it back swiftly.
It was nearly midday when a knock sounded on the door. In her haste to get to the door Mina completely forgot about the sleeping form on the floor, and stepped on her earning a loud cry from Nayeon.
"Nayeon-chan," She crouched down to her level to inspect the damage, "I'm so sorry."
The door flew open. Mina let out a startled gasp when Nayeon wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her down to lay beside her.
"What are you doing on the floor?" Her mother eyed the pair skeptically.
"After long journeys I prefer to sleep on the floor." Nayeon answered.
Mina let out a breath of relief. They would have blown their cover if it wasn't for Nayeon who was a quick thinker, intelligent, admirable-
"And this one here won't sleep without me so." She dragged her closer, chuckling into the crook of her neck.
-asshole.
"Ah to be young and to be in love." Her mother said in a wistful tone, "Come down for lunch whenever you're ready."
The door shut, and they both pulled apart from each other faster than a lighting bolt on a stormy sky.
"Can I have some more dessert please okochan?" Nayeon licked the spoon clean and pushed the plate towards her father whose eyes gleamed with delight.
"You liked it?" He asked cheerfully, "I made it myself!" He said in a hopeful tone, looking at the older girl with round, expectant eyes.
"I loved it." Nayeon's response widened his dopey smile.
Mina wondered how Nayeon had a way of turning everyone around her into a swooning, gushing high school kid with a crush. Her energy was scarily contagious.
She realized with reluctance that her parents were going to be totally disappointed when they breakup- fake breakup, she corrected herself.
The doorbell ringing dragged her out of her thoughts. Her mother excused herself to answer the door.
"We need to talk." Mina whispered once she was sure her father was out of earshot.
Nayeon's eyes twinkled with mirth, "You're breaking up with me already?"
Mina sighed. "Nayeon-chan, can you be serious for one second?"
When Nayeon schooled her face into a mock serious expression, Mina's sigh turned into a soft chuckle.
"Hello Mina." A familiar voice sounded from behind them.
Mina almost snapped her neck to turn and look at the ghost from the past. Maiko was leaning against the door, her eyes skittering between Nayeon and her.
"Maiko?" Her stomach churned, "When did you come back from the States?"
The girl walked to where she was, shoving her hands into the pocket of her jeans, "Yesterday. Will you be here for the party?" She inquired in a hopeful tone.
"Yes." Mina stuttered as she rose on her feet, "I'm staying for three days."
"Good." Maiko lifted her shoulders in a lazy shrug that used to drive Mina crazy when she was younger. "I see you brought a member with you!" Her eyes travelled to her side, face twisting in a scowl.
"Actually," Mina stuttered again. It was not fair how those grey eyes could bring her to a mumbling mess even after all these years. "She's my-" She couldn't even bring herself to say the word.
"Girlfriend." Nayeon stood up, extending a hand to the tall girl. "and you are?"
"Maiko. Doctor. Harvard graduate. touted to become the youngest billionaire under 30 when I take over the Akura hospitals from my parents ." Maiko replied, ignoring the extended hand.
Mina felt a slight hint of irritation creeping upon her. Maiko could be from one of the most prestigious families in Japan, but Nayeon was her friend. Someone more important to her than some degree and title about youngest billionaire under 30.
"I'll see you around then?" The grey eyes wandered up and down Mina's body.
Mina felt her face flush. Unable to form words, she nodded her head in reply.
Maiko tiptoed out of the room into the garden, shoulder checking Nayeon on the way out as if on accident.
"So who's Miss. Tall dark handsome grey eyes?" Nayeon chuckled looking at Mina's flustered state.
Mina's eyebrows slanted in surprise. Nayeon seemed to have paid no mind to Maiko's rude behavior. That was the thing about Nayeon. For all her loud and brash attitude, she was completely forgiving and endlessly compassionate.
"Longtime neighbor. Childhood crush. First kiss." She breathed out.
Nayeon tapped a finger to her chin in thought, "The one that got away huh?!!"
Mina chuckled softly, "It was just a stupid puppy love. We were only 15." She sat back down at the table, "And she ran away after I kissed her."
Nayeon mulled over her words for a while. "And then you moved to Korea."
"Yes." Mina let out a soft sigh. She was glad to be a part of Twice, but a part of her still missed having a normal childhood, normal crushes and normal breakups.
Nayeon leaned back against her chair, head swimming with thoughts. Mina didn't sound like she was over her first love. If she wasn't here, if it wasn't for this situation, maybe they'd have reconnected in these three days. Suddenly, she felt like an intruder. Like a mismatched shoe. Like a penny that ended up in a container meant for pound coins.
Mina's gaze landed on Nayeon who had a surprisingly pensive look on her face. It troubled her a little. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing." Nayeon averted her eyes, running a hand through her hair.
Mina might not spend a lot of time with her but you didn't spend so many years with someone not knowing what every single one of their gestures meant.
Avoiding eye contact? Check. Running a hand through her hair? Check. Nayeon was upset about something and it upset her too. She promised Jihyo she'd take care of her. It wouldn't do to have her look so lost and defeated on her first day in Japan.
She reached out for Nayeon's hands and brought it between hers. She held it until she felt some of the tension leaving her body.
Nayeon's eyebrows lifted in question at the uncharacteristic show of affection. It wasn't like they never had them but it was always her who initiated them.
Mina resisted the urge to pull away when those dark eyes looked at her curiously. Nayeon needed comfort and she wasn't going to stop her shyness from being a considerate friend.
"Sorry to interrupt your moment." A throat cleared from the doorway, "But your father needs her in the garden." Maiko pointed at Nayeon with a tilt of her head.
"Her has a name." Mina replied with slight annoyance.
Nayeon stood up on her feet, releasing her hands from Mina's grasp gently, "I'll be right back."
A silence fell over the room and Mina drummed her fingers on the table as grey eyes regarded her intensely.
"So what are you doing with someone like her?" Maiko's tone dripped with sarcasm as she leaned against the wall, her eyes traveling up and down Mina's body.
Mina looked at her pointedly, "What do you mean someone like her?"
Before she could get an answer a loud crash sounded from the garden followed by Nayeon's yelp. Mina rushed towards the noise, walking past Maiko without a backward glance. She leaned against the door, laying a calming hand to her chest when she saw that Nayeon was safe and sound except for being covered to head to toe with coal dust.
"I was trying to show Nayeon-tan how to start a barbecue." Her father offered as an explanation sheepishly, "She volunteered to get the coal bag from the outhouse."
He didn't need to elaborate further. Nayoen had a weak leg, she must have stumbled and fallen.
Mina sauntered down the lawn to come to a stop before the older girl. She began to dust the coal off her clothes and trousers gently.
She stopped for a second after a while to take a look at Nayeon. Her hair mussed and sticking out in all directions, chest rising and falling with exertion, tip of ears tinged red with a maddening blush, Mina couldn't help but think that Nayeon could melt even the coldest of hearts.
"Oh Nayeon-chan," She said fondly, "What do I do with you?" Her smile blossomed into a full blown hearty laughter when she got a half grin in return, bunny teeth flashing white a stark contrast against her skin covered in dark coal dust.
Nayeon stared at her oddly with a mix of amusement and slight annoyance as she continued to laugh. "Come let's get you cleaned up." Mina chuckled, dragging the older girl along with her to their room.
Nayeon followed obediently.
Mina began to dig through the older girl's suitcase absent mindedly, "I'll pick out the clothes for you and lay them on the bed. You have a shower." She rummaged through the belongings looking for an attire suitable for a warm sunny day.
"I'm sorry I embarrassed you." Mina felt something in her heart clench tightly because Nayeon's voice sounded like it was about to crack. "Everyone's right."
She turned to look at the older girl," About what?"
"That I'm childish." Nayeon shrugged.
Mina rose to her feet and inched closer to the older girl. "That's exactly why everyone loves you." She stated softly but with enough conviction that it drew a small smile from the older girl.
"You mean it?" Nayeon whispered, eyes searching into hers as if afraid of her answer.
Mina met her gaze and breathed out, "With my whole heart."
And Mina learnt that evening that the heart was a strange thing. It wanted you to hug a person so tight that you'd squeeze the life out of them one moment and next moment it wanted you to strangle the same person to death.
It all started with a a simple question. Mina's extended family had popped in to say a quick hi. One of the inquisitive younger cousins had asked Nayeon, "So how did you realize you had feelings for Mina?"
Mina expected her to tell them the backstory they'd agreed upon. The one where Mina had confessed her feelings shyly one day and Nayeon took her out on a date the next.
Instead, Nayeon played to the audience who were already eating out of her hands. "You see I've never seen her as more than a friend." Her eyes skittered upwards to stare at the ceiling dreamily as if she was actually recalling an incident from the past, "One day I went to her dorm to discuss something with Jihyo."
Nayeon met Mina's questioning gaze across the room. Mina narrowed her brows indicating her to stick to the story they'd devised. The older girl's eyes danced with playfulness. "The door to her room suddenly opened. And there she was." She gestured towards Mina.
"She was wearing a flowing white dress. Her silver earrings swung and created a melody of their own with every step she took into the room. Like in all those damned films, everything seemed to slow down when her eyes met mine." Mina glared at the older girl. If Nayeon kept making changes to their plan, one of them were sure to slip up.
"And then boom." Nayoen clapped her hands creating a loud sound that it startled some of the smitten audience. "The magic happened."
"Boom?" One of the aunties swooned, her eyes glazing over as she imagined the moment.
"Exactly!" Nayeon grinned, breaking her glance away from Mina. "The earth shook and came to a standstill. Music played in my ears, bells rang over my head and I finally realized that it was her all along. That it had always been her. That the love of my life had been there all along. It took a boom moment to see that."
An uncle sighed, "If I had that boom moment happen to me, I'd have never married your aunt."
"Ojisan," A cousin yelled, "Obasan is right behind you." The crowd broke into a round of laughter, as the woman stared at the man with hands on her hips.
"Alright then." Mina's father interrupted trying to avert a family disaster, "We have a party tomorrow. And Nayeon-tan must be really tired. Let's call it a night."
Mina kicked off her heels and sat on the single bed watching Nayeon with amusement, her earlier irritation with her disappearing with each passing second.
Nayeon's top was stuck between the zipper.
Frustrated and impatient after unsuccessfully trying to get her top out for five minutes, Nayeon tugged on it harshly with all the strength she could manage and the force sent her tumbling backwards.
Mina crossed her legs and propped her chin on her hands, regarding the older girl on the floor with a teasing smile.
Nayeon frowned.
Mina uncrossed her legs, and waddled to where Nayeon was. She stretched out a hand to help the older girl up. "Let me." Her voice barely held back the laughter that turned Nayeon's frown into a pout.
Mina grabbed the top and tugged the sides out of the trousers carefully. Then she reached for the zipper, trying to pull it down but the front of the top which was stuck between it blocked it from going down.
Nayeon attempted to help her, her fingers tightening around the zip, careful not to crush Mina's which were holding it already. They probably used a little too much force together making Nayeon stumble backwards again.
This time she dragged Mina along with her, her hands finding purchase on her delicate shoulders to steady herself. She let out a small 'Fuck!' when her back came into contact with the wall.
"I'm so sorry." Mina heard her mother's voice at the door. For some reason her mother refused to meet her eyes and her face was flush with embarrassment. "I'll come back later." She stuttered and scrambled out of the room.
Mina's face scrunched with confusion at first. She sweeped a glance at Nayeon, and her eyes widened when she finally realized what had her mother scurrying out the door.
Nayeon was up against the wall, her hands were on the older girl's zip and she'd just said fuck.
Mina let go off the zip immediately and took several steps back, a mad blush rushing to the tip of her ears. "Oh god." She buried her face in her hands and dropped down on the bed. "This is a nightmare."
Nayeon's whitened face seemed to echo her sentiment.
Mina laid awake as the clock struck twelve. It would be impossible to go to sleep when there was a human roller on the bed next to you.
"What's wrong?" She sighed.
"I don't have space for my arm." Nayeon whined.
"I could always take the floor." Mina suggested. And have our cover blown, her mind supplied.
"It's fine." Nayeon murmured.
About twenty rolls later, Mina had enough. She asked Nayeon to stretch her arm ignoring the protest, "But where would you keep your head?" and when she did she laid her head on the stretched out arm.
"Better?" Mina turned around to face the wall, her eyes drifting heavy with sleep.
She didn't get any reply. A soft snore she heard a while later indicated that the older girl had fallen asleep already.